Transcend releases new Wi-Fi memory card

Media technology manufacturer Transcend has released a new Wi-Fi SD memory card that allows for wireless transfer of images from your SDHC-compatible digital camera. Like other Wi-Fi-capable SD cards we've reviewed in the past, Trancend's card works in either a direct share mode to a mobile device or in Internet mode using a free app for iOS or Android devices.

Press release

Set Your Photos Free with Transcend’s Wi-Fi SD Memory Card

November 8, 2012 -- Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend®), a worldwide leader in storage and multimedia products, today proudly announced the release of its exciting new Wi-Fi SD memory card that instantly adds wireless capability to an SDHC-compatible digital camera. With the Wi-Fi SD card and the exclusive Wi-Fi SD App, users can take advantage of the high resolution of their digital camera and the versatility of their smartphone or tablet to easily share beautifully shot photos to the world as soon as they are taken.

Perfect for Any Occasion

The Wi-Fi SD card operates in two modes: Direct Share or Internet Mode. Ideal for use on outdoor photo shoots and vacations, Direct Share Mode is automatically activated as soon as the camera is powered on, allowing peer-to-peer connections between camera and mobile device in any location. Thanks to the convenient Wi-Fi SD App, users can quickly switch to Internet Mode, which allows the Wi-Fi SD card to connect to a nearby Internet hotspot or even use the personal hotspot feature of smartphones and tablets. When connected via Internet Mode, users can browse and download photos from the Wi-Fi SD card and instantly email to friends or upload to their social network profile.

Instant Shoot & ViewThe Wi-Fi SD App’s Shoot & View feature takes advantage of the advanced capabilities of digital cameras and the large screen of mobile devices for a more efficient post-production process. First, simply capture a stunningly detailed picture using a high-megapixel camera, which then appears immediately on the smartphone or tablet. Next, download the image to local memory and manipulate in creative ways using today’s sophisticated photo editing apps before sharing with friends and family.

Comments

Simply put, it's the worst ill conceived product I've ever used. No desktop application to configure it, and it is so inconsistent and loses connections way more than an EyeFi card. DO NOT BUY THIS CARD.... it will frustrate you.

I returned it and told every retailer I know personally never to stock this product.

I have just bought the Transcend WIFISD card. The main reason I wanted a WiFI SD card, was so that when I connect my camera to a preset hotspot my pictures would be transfered to flickr automatically. As I now understand this is possible with Eye-Fi (learned this after I purchased the Transcend). Does anyone know any tricks or tips so it can be done with the Transcend WIFI SD card?

I've been "trying" to use eyefi cards for about 2 years now. They are okay for point 'n shoot but I would never use the "endless" stream as several times I've had my pictures upload & disapear, never making it to my desktop. That's okay if you keep the shots on the card, but, not if you've streamed with endless memory.EyeFi now has lowered their support to email only. No phone support as of mid March 2013. They'll get back to you...when they want... No timely help if your shoot is in never never land. Your post processing is when eyefi gets back to you.

Speak for yourself. I'm not so keen on a removable micro-SDHC. There is a card like this already it was posted on this site about 3 weeks ago, btw! (http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/10/17/PQI-Air-MicroSD-to-SD-adapter-gets-reviewed-by-DCWatch)

Unfortunately, looking at the Google Play reviews of PQI's Android software, all are fairly negative. Incompatibility problems, connection issues, etc.

The Eye-fi seems to be the most well reviewed of the bunch.

I'm much more concerned about price, speed, reliability, and geotagging. Upgradability is LAST on my list.

Sort of. The Eye-Fi cards record the BSSIDs of the Wifi hotspots around it and they use a triangulation sytem (can't remember the company name) to narrow down the location. This is OK-ish in tourist areas but has severe drawbacks when no WiFi is prsent at *shooting* time (not upload time, doh!) or if you carry your own Wifi hotspot like a tethered phone or MiFi device - then the EyeFi gets it very wrong...

To complement my shouting 11min ago: ..No, i truly am only just a photographer looking for the best card of the sort, so, for the sake of equity - as far as I know :see also the othe "class 10" wifi solution here at Eye.fi.http://www.eye.fi/products

I believe the class 4 is a minimum speed probably for video. I have never heard of a problem with using faster cards. There are some issues with cameras that have a lot of metal so the wifi radio does not work well. In practice, my eye-fi works pretty well - and the GPS is NOT real gps, but uses Wi-Fi Positioning System which gets you close, but nothing like real gps although you don't have the significant battery usage of GPS either....

Yes (bravo!) : "Class 10" is probably bound to be faster then "Class 6".I dont just now here witch of the call 6 or 10 is the better product , but Eye-fy DOES have on the marked a "Class 10" wifi-solution - has it not ??

We should not be lenient to people (yes, individuals hide everywhere) who promulgate such ways of doing business. This is REAL pollution in every sens.

As it's not released yet we can't say for sure, but the claimed advances are:1. Cheaper - 16gb at $69. Eye-fi is $99.00.2. Open standards as Eye-fi has not allowed you to upload to anywhere but their servers - I think this is changing though.3. No 32GB Eye-Fi card.4. Eye-Fi was the WPS positioning so you can get a location/Quasi GPS - not sure if the Toshiba or Transcend cards will - mostly a software issue.5. Eye-fi does work and is proven - I have not seen much on connection and speed information with the other cards.

Just a quick comment on "Eye-fi has not allowed you to upload to anywhere but their servers". Eye-Fi (which I currently use) lets you upload to Flickr or Picasa (not both), and you can also configure the client to download both RAW and JPG into your Dropbox or Google Drive cloud storage. I do all that in production and it works fine. I know some have found the client buggy, but I have never had any issues with it, myself.

For more than 2 months Eye-Fi DO NOT work properly with iPhone/iPad iOS upgraded to version 6.0 or 6.01. Eye-Fi developers can't fix so basic feature for so long. See Eye-Fi forums.In my opiniom, is better to wait for Transcend.

AmnonG, sorry for the slow reply. I don't come to this site every day. Like Jack1611, I also don't experience any slowdown. Both my cameras start up quite quickly and EyeFi cards don't seem to affect their start up time, but I don't have any experience beyond those two.

I think this is the solution to what I've been trying to do for a long time. Namely, back up the photos on my camera to my iPhone when I am in the field and there's no wi-fi. There's a cable availabe to load SD card data onto an iPad but none for the iPhone. This will be a super product if it works as advertised.

Not enough sales to really justify it. Less than 4% of sales for memory cards is CF. So from a business standpoint it makes sense. If R&D cost are equal the SD yields a profit 25x that of it's CF counterpart.

I don't see a shipping date? It's interesting that it's approved for the Nikon D800I tried the Samsung smart camera to my Galaxy III phone at Photo expo and it's painfully slow.Never see Toshiba cards for sale any where?

I would think they would use a different wireless standard - like for wireless Video as Wifi is not very fast - especially with RAW. Also, does anyone like the transfer speed of files off of an SD card? CF would be much nicer in that regard.

@Bill, I totally agree with your assessment that the sw bundle with Eye-Fi is less than tolerable. I have a review on it on Amazon (both 8/16 GB pro x2 version) NOT on the card use (r/w on the card) but on the NETWORK issues of the Eye-Fi cards. Long story short, I think the beta version of the Eye-Fi firmware solves the issues. I "unofficially" clocked 4min 51 sec on transferring 6 FX raw and a 32 sec 1080p HQ vid from my D800. I was surprised to be able to shoot AND transfer at the same time. I use the "endless memory" mode in adhoc "DIRECT" mode. At this "new" performance benchmark, I will not need to upgrade to the 16GB.